High Definition Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (HD-tDCS) for Refractory Epilepsy

NCT ID: NCT06241963

Last Updated: 2024-02-20

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

90 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2024-02-12

Study Completion Date

2026-06-30

Brief Summary

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To observe the clinical effect and safety of transcranial electrical stimulation on patients with refractory epilepsy before and after treatment and analyze its therapeutic mechanism.

Detailed Description

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All participants underwent a medical evaluation that included physical examination and routine laboratory studies before and after high definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) treatment.Upon meeting the inclusion criteria and providing informed consent, each participant will complete clinical assessments by a trained investigator and HD-tDCS treatment at Anhui mental health centre.

At least 90 participants were randomized (1:1:1) to receive "bilateral active" ,"Unilateral active" or "Sham" treatment protocol. The left electrical stimulation cathode was placed over CP5 with return electrodes placed at FT7, C1, P03 and P9 . The right electrical stimulation cathode was placed over CP6 with return electrodes placed at FT8, C2, PO4 and P10 .

In the bilateral treatment group, HD-tDCS treatment was placed on the left and right sides of the brain, at least eight hours apart. Twenty 2-mA sessions (ramp-up and ramp-down periods of 30 and 30 seconds, respectively) were applied for 30 minutes,twice a day over 10 consecutive workdays. In the unilateral treatment group, HD-tDCS treatment based on Epileptic discharge is placed on either the left or right side of the brain.Ten 2-mA sessions were applied for 30 minutes,once a day over 10 consecutive workdays.Sham HD-tDCS was delivered using the same protocol and current intensity, but the period of active stimulation was only during the ramp-up and ramp-down periods of 30 and 30 seconds.

Before and after the tDCS treatment, the patients had receiving a battery measure of neuropsychological tests, Magnetic resonance imaging scan in multimodalities, VEEG and Resting motor threshold.

The clinical symptom of participants were followed 4 weeks and 12 weeks after the last treatment.

Conditions

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Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation EEG Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Refractory Epilepsy Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

DOUBLE

Participants Outcome Assessors

Study Groups

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Unilateral real High definition transcranial direct current stimulation

The left electrical stimulation cathode was placed over CP5 with return electrodes placed at FT7, C1, P03 and P9 . The right electrical stimulation cathode was placed over CP6 with return electrodes placed at FT8, C2, PO4 and P10 .

In the unilateral treatment group, HD-tDCS treatment based on Epileptic discharge is placed on either the left or right side of the brain.Ten 2-mA sessions were applied for 30 minutes,once a day over 10 consecutive workdays.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Active Comparator: Unilateral real High definition transcranial direct current stimulation

Intervention Type DEVICE

Improvement of cortical excitability, unilateral stimulation was effective, and no side effects were observed

Bilateral real High definition transcranial direct current stimulation

The left electrical stimulation cathode was placed over CP5 with return electrodes placed at FT7, C1, P03 and P9 . The right electrical stimulation cathode was placed over CP6 with return electrodes placed at FT8, C2, PO4 and P10 .

In the bilateral treatment group, HD-tDCS treatment was placed on the left and right sides of the brain, at least eight hours apart.. Twenty 2-mA sessions (ramp-up and ramp-down periods of 30 and 30 seconds, respectively) were applied for 30 minutes,twice a day over 10 consecutive workdays.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Active Comparator: Bilateral real High definition transcranial direct current stimulation

Intervention Type DEVICE

Improved cortical excitability, the effect was more obvious than unilateral stimulation, the effect lasted longer, and no side effects were observed

Sham High definition transcranial direct current stimulation

The left electrical stimulation cathode was placed over CP5 with return electrodes placed at FT7, C1, P03 and P9 . The right electrical stimulation cathode was placed over CP6 with return electrodes placed at FT8, C2, PO4 and P10.

The 30 subjects were randomly divided into two groups, 15 receiving bilateral Sham HD-tDCS and 15 receiving unilateral Sham HD-tDCS.

Sham HD-tDCS was delivered using the same protocol and current intensity, but the period of active stimulation was only during the ramp-up and ramp-down periods of 30 and 30 seconds.

Group Type SHAM_COMPARATOR

Sham Comparator: Sham High definition transcranial direct current stimulation

Intervention Type DEVICE

The sham stimulation is mainly used for blank control, control variables, and exclude the interference of other factors

Interventions

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Active Comparator: Unilateral real High definition transcranial direct current stimulation

Improvement of cortical excitability, unilateral stimulation was effective, and no side effects were observed

Intervention Type DEVICE

Active Comparator: Bilateral real High definition transcranial direct current stimulation

Improved cortical excitability, the effect was more obvious than unilateral stimulation, the effect lasted longer, and no side effects were observed

Intervention Type DEVICE

Sham Comparator: Sham High definition transcranial direct current stimulation

The sham stimulation is mainly used for blank control, control variables, and exclude the interference of other factors

Intervention Type DEVICE

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Clinical diagnosis of refractory epilepsy
* Right-handed and aged 18-50 years old and primary school education or above;
* No major neurological or mental illness, no head injury, alcohol dependence or drug dependence;
* During the experiment, the subjects did not smoke, drink, get sick and take psychotropic drugs, and there were no major life events that caused mood changes.

Exclusion Criteria

* organic brain injury, neurological diseases or serious physical diseases;
* Have a history of substance abuse and drug dependence, or have used antipsychotic drugs in the past three months, and have serious suicidal tendencies;
* There are contraindications for MRI or EEG or transcranial magnetic stimulation.
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

50 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Anhui Medical University

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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WANG KAI

Director of medical psychological department, Anhui Medical University

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

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Anhui Medical University

Hefei, Anhui, China

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

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China

Central Contacts

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Kai Wang, PhD

Role: CONTACT

+86-0551-62923704

Xingui Chen, PhD

Role: CONTACT

+8615955161468

Facility Contacts

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Kai Wang, PhD

Role: primary

+86-0551-62923704

Xingui Chen, PhD

Role: backup

+8615955161468

Other Identifiers

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AHMU-tDCS-epilepsy

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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